Our Mission

Don’s career includes national leadership in public lands management and natural resource policy with USFS, NPS, FWS, BLM, NGOs and states. He served as SCA’s Alaska regional director establishing its state office, and strategic alliances supporting programs in fisheries, forestry and recreation resources.

Areas of his specialized work include trails and recreation resource management, community protection in wildland fire, invasive species mitigation, Wild and Scenic rivers management, and  Wilderness science and stewardship.

Don served as wilderness social scientist and planner with the USDA Forest Service; founder and board chair of the Society of Wilderness Stewardship; member of the Western Governors Association Forest Health Advisory Committee; and member of the Public Lands Service Coalition.

Don has a MES in wilderness management and BA in environmental journalism.

I’ve worked on restoration projects around the region and was key to successful implementation of the Northwest Straits Initiative’s creosote debris removal program and an important partner on many nearshore projects.

Experiencing this beautiful state by climbing, back country skiing, kayaking, and hiking has only grown my love for it. By helping Northwest Straits Foundation with the day-to-day tasks, I hope to protect the area and its inhabitants so the future can see the beauty I am blessed to see everyday.

I have always been a frequent backpacker as well as an avid recreational fisherman, therefore, I have spent much of my time observing wildlife habitat and how drastically it has changed in such a short period of time. 

My observations caused me to develop a tremendous amount of empathy for these species and ultimately drew me to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Western Washington University.

My time spent procuring this degree supplied me with the knowledge I need to pursue a career in restoration, and my position as a Marine Fellow with the Northwest Straits Foundation will provide me with the opportunity to turn this knowledge into experience. I hope that by taking part in restoring our shorelines and monitoring fish activity in the Pacific Northwest region I can help repair the complex marine ecosystem which our wildlife so desperately rely on.

on the Snohomish MRC, including serving two terms as chair of the committee. Jerry is past chair of the Northwest Straits Commission and also serves as a gubernatorial appointee to the Northwest Straits Commission. Jerry is excited by the Initiative’s ability to accomplish work through voluntary actions and its sense that responsibility for environmental outcomes should be shared by all.

Forever an optimist, Phil likes to focus on “How we can” rather than “Why we can’t”.  He believes that efforts to preserve, protect, and restore marine habitat is crucial not only to the health of our environment, but also to our economy and our quality of life.  He’s excited about the work the Northwest Straits Foundation is doing and is eager to help build a sustainable and expanding program of marine education and preservation. 

Deborah Atwood is a Senior Fellow at the Meridian Institute, based in Washington, D.C. She has recently relocated from D.C. to Bellingham, where she was born and raised. Her professional career has advanced groundbreaking policies on oceans, food, and agriculture in the United States. Deb supports the Northwest Straights Foundation because of their commitment to restoring and protecting marine habitats in the Pacific Northwest. The foundation’s collaborative approach, involving scientists, policymakers, and local communities, fosters effective conservation strategies. She appreciates the foundation’s efforts to engage and educate the public about the importance of marine conservation and inspire her to be an advocate for the environment.

Rachel has built a diverse skillset and wide knowledge of Salish Sea/Western Washington ecology, watersheds, and communities through 20+ years of working for local businesses and regional and local nonprofits, with a focus on natural history, Puget Sound recovery, habitat restoration, scientific monitoring, community engagement, and outreach and education projects. She recently joined the WA Department of Natural Resources in a unique, cross-sectional role overseeing implementation and tracking of the Watershed Resilience Action Plan for the Snohomish River basin, a coordinated effort to support salmon recovery, resiliency, and vibrant communities in this large and important watershed. Rachel has a long history with the Northwest Straits Initiative, having served on both the Skagit and Whatcom Marine Resources Committees, as well as a member of the NW Straits Commission. She lives in Bellingham with her partner, two teenage sons, 2 dogs, one cat, and a flock of happy chickens.

She has worked on a broad range of issues including forest canopy research, rare plant conservation, natural area stewardship, native oyster restoration, water quality, shoreline and estuary restoration and climate change. Her interest is in bring together people, funding, technical resources and sound science to make informed decisions and strategic investments in Puget Sound. She believes healthy, functioning habitats are key to supporting vibrant and sustainable local communities. She values the Northwest Straits Foundation’s commitment to informed policy through sound science, citizen engagement, public-private partnerships, and voluntary conservation. Betsy was an integral member of the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Program which created the state’s nearshore ecosystem restoration strategy for Puget Sound. She helped create and manage the Estuary and Salmon Restoration Program which provides funding and technical assistance for high quality nearshore restoration, protection and monitoring in Puget Sound. She has a BS in Botany from the University of Washington and a Master of Environmental Studies from the Evergreen State College. She currently lives and works in the Seattle area.

Tom received a BA from Wabash College (1966) and served in the US Army from 1966-1969. He received a PhD in Botany from the University of Washington (1973) then spent three years at UBC on a postdoctoral fellowship before joining the Washington Department of Natural Resources in 1976. At WDNR he researched the cultivation of seaweeds for the production of phycolloids and food, and developed and managed programs for management and inventory of seaweeds and seagrasses on state-owned aquatic lands. He served on the Nearshore Science Team for the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project. He has taught in various universities and consulted overseas in seaweed aquaculture. Since his retirement in 2011, he is focusing on researching marine algal biodiversity, the role of kelp in marine ecosystems, on kelp restoration, and on teaching. He was lead biologist for an ARPA-E project to grow kelp for biomass. He has worked to develop a kelp conservation and recovery plan for NOAA, and acting in an advisory role for the Puget Sound Restoration Fund’s project for using kelp to mitigate for OA. He served as an alternate on the Strategic Advisory Council for the OCNMS for12 years and currently is on the Science Advisory Committee for the NW Straits Initiative.

 and has spent his career in industry and consulting roles focused on customer strategy and marketing. He’s passionate about working with broad stakeholder groups to foster shared commitment, activism, and investment in protecting and preserving our natural environment and biodiversity. When not working, you’ll find Clay enjoying the Pacific Northwest by sailing in the Salish Sea, backcountry skiing in the Cascades, or ambling around local trails.